9 Best Homemade Coffee Creamers for National Coffee Day

National Coffee Day is September 29th, and we have 9 incredible creamer recipes to help you “espresso” your love for coffee!  

Let’s celebrate coffee!

For its delectable flavor, its instant energy hit and all the different ways you can prepare it, coffee deserves its superstar status.  But did you also know it contains some powerful antioxidants that can actually boost your health? 

Here are just some of the reasons you can stop feeling guilty about your love of coffee, and simply enjoy it!

What are the Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee?

Is coffee good for you?  There’s so much controversy around this basic question!  

Some people will tell you coffee and caffeine are to blame for the stress epidemic currently sweeping the developed world.  And they wouldn’t be entirely wrong.

Caffeine is a known nervous system stimulant and, if you have too much of it, it can definitely push your nervous system function over the cliff!  That’s a definite disadvantage of coffee, but it’s not all bad.

It’s also why you love coffee, right?

When you’re feeling drowsy and having trouble concentrating, a coffee can kick-start your brain and help get you thinking again.  

There are also some surprising long-term coffee benefits, and they don’t all come from its caffeine content.  

Coffee also contains other powerful antioxidants.  This includes chlorogenic acid, trigonelline, cafestol, and hydroxycinnamic acid.  These chemical names might not mean much to you, but their health benefits will!

Here are just some of the benefits of coffee, from both its caffeine content and its awesome antioxidants.

1. Coffee increases your brain power. 

Studies have shown that the caffeine portion in coffee increases focus, makes you better at processing information, and improves long term memory.

2. Coffee protects against Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s is partially determined by your genetics, and coffee can interact with protective genes (if you have them) to lower your chances of developing the disease even further.  

3. Coffee protects against Alzheimer’s disease. 

Drinking coffee daily can help reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.  It’s thought to be the caffeine content of coffee that works, here, by reducing the amount of damaging amyloid proteins in your brain.

4. Coffee protects against multiple sclerosis. 

Inflammatory chemicals in your brain are linked to multiple sclerosis and coffee acts as an anti-inflammatory, preventing the underlying processes that lead to this disease.

5. Coffee improves mood and reduces depression. 

You already knew coffee made you happy, right?  Well, scientists agree!  It turns out people who drink coffee are less likely to develop depression.

6. Coffee helps with weight loss. 

This is my favorite coffee benefit!  Not only do you get to drink coffee guilt-free from now on, but you can also even feel pleased with yourself for making choices that help you stay at a healthy weight.

Among the many benefits of coffee for weight loss, studies show that caffeine speeds up your metabolism and decreases your appetite, helping you burn more fat and moderate your food intake.

7. Coffee protects against type 2 diabetes. 

Coffee’s antioxidant compounds can help reduce your long-term risk of diabetes.

It seems that more is better when it comes to coffee and diabetes.  In fact, one study showed that people who drank at least seven cups each day saw the greatest protection!  You might want to try decaf for that.

8. Coffee protects against cancer. 

It’s not really surprising when you think about how many antioxidants coffee contains, but it’s great to know it’s been confirmed by science: coffee helps reduce your risk of colorectal cancer.

Even one or two cups daily is enough to protect your large intestine from this dangerous disease.

9. Coffee protects against heart disease. 

Coffee helps to keep your heart healthy by preventing the hardening of your arteries.

At least two different studies have come to the same conclusion:  coffee stops calcium from building up in coronary blood vessels, stopping heart disease in its tracks.

Why Traditional Coffee Creamers Aren’t Great

Isn’t it great to see coffee getting recognized as a health food?  That’s why we support National Coffee Day!  Just don’t go ruining it by adding unhealthy commercial creamers.  

By the time you’ve added hydrogenated fats, casein, and a big dose of sugar to your coffee brew — those are delightful ingredients found in any standard store-bought creamer — you’ve undone many of your coffee’s health benefits.

Let’s dig a little deeper into this.  

Most creamers are a mix of sugar syrup, vegetable oil, texturizers, colors, and flavors.  There’s nothing in the ingredient list that could be considered a health food.  In fact, most of them are likely to cause you ill-health.

1. Processed Sugar

Sugar is a source of calories and not much else.  It can quickly turn to fat in your body and undo any benefits of coffee for weight loss.  And if your creamer contains sugar from corn syrup, it could be sourced from genetically modified (GM) corn.  

GM corn is a wild card when it comes to your health, so if you don’t want to gamble away your wellbeing, stay away from GM corn.

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2. Hydrogenated Fats

Most creamers use hydrogenated fats.  Hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated (trans-), fats have been chemically-altered to be more stable.  The trade-off for this stability is they become unhealthy fats. 

They might look and smell like normal fats, but when your body tries to use them, they don’t behave as they should and they can block your normal healthy cell functions.

3. Additives

Casein from milk powders causes inflammation, while artificial flavors and colors upset your health in all sorts of ways!  They wreak havoc with your nervous system and have been implicated in many different nerve and mood disorders.

Luckily, you can still enjoy your favorite coffee brew with a delicious creamer, without risking your health!  We want to share some easy, healthy recipes you can make at home. 

Here’s our list of the top 9 best healthy coffee creamers to help make your National Coffee Day a hit!

9 Best All-Natural Homemade Coffee Creamers

Finally, on to the fun part!   

Each of these recipes will add flavor and zest to your coffee experience.  Not only that, these all-natural coffee creamers turn your daily brew into even more of a superfood.  And they can all be made vegan-, paleo- or keto-friendly!

1. Vanilla and Cinnamon Coffee Creamer

Coconut milk, almond milk, cinnamon and vanilla – yum!  This super creamy blend created by The Wooden Skillet puts a healthy spin on a classic flavor combination – cream, cinnamon and vanilla.

The whole fat in coconut cream is good for your skin and brain and, unlike hydrogenated fat, it will actually contribute to your health, rather than threatening it.  

There’s no added sugar in this recipe, the sweetness comes from the nut milk and the vanilla.

If you prefer a sweeter flavor and want to add some extra, you can add a drop of agave nectar, a sprinkling of coconut sugar, or another natural sweetener.

2. Paleo Vegan Snickers Coffee Creamer

This unique sweet creamer from Physical Kitchness uses dates for their sugar content.  The dates make for a syrupy sweetness while adding a unique fruity flavor of their own that complements the cocoa beautifully.  Dates are also a good source of potassium, magnesium, and copper.

Coconut milk, like coconut cream, is a good source of healthy fat that will give you the creamy texture you’re craving, without taking anything away from your health.  

If you use whole cocoa powder, you can consider that a health food, too!

Whole cocoa uses the entire cocoa bean, crushed up, so it’s full of antioxidants and minerals.  And it has a bittersweet flavor which goes really well with the lightly bitter compounds in coffee.

3. Cashew Coffee Creamer

This cashew creamer (again from The Wooden Skillet!) is divine!  You don’t need to add any other ingredients apart from cashews and water (and a pinch of salt) – it seems so simple, but both the taste and texture are sublime.  Make sure you use fresh, raw cashews for optimum flavor.

This is a highly nutritious creamer with all the benefits of raw cashews, including high protein content and good amounts of calcium.

The recipe calls for added maple syrup or vanilla if you want some extra flavor.  These don’t do much to boost the nutritional profile of the cashew creamer, but they sure do make it even tastier!

4. Banana Bread Coffee Creamer  

Don’t worry, this recipe isn’t really bread!  It’s a creamy, sweet and fragrant creamer from Athletic Avocado that makes perfect use of any overripe bananas you have.  

Bananas are a really good source of potassium, which is a mineral we often lack.  Potassium is important for balancing out all the hidden salt we tend to eat, so you should always be on the lookout for ways to get enough in your diet.

Add to this some rich coconut cream, nutritious almond milk and flavorful vanilla extract and there you have it: banana bread coffee creamer.  It’s all-natural, dairy-free and the only sweetener is the natural fruit sugar in the banana.

5. Slow Cooker Apple Spice Creamer

This spicy creamer by Healthy Slow Cooking is warming and soothing, perfect for cooler weather.  Just imagine sitting in your heated home or office, watching the rain or snow through the window with a warm cup of spiced, creamy coffee in your hands.

So cozy!

The cinnamon and allspice smell amazing, and your entire house will fill with the scent as you gently heat the ingredients in the slow cooker.

Not surprisingly, the spices in this recipe improve circulation and will leave you feeling genuinely warmed.  The fruity apple and date add a syrupy sweetness, and the coconut milk tops it all off with a super smooth and creamy texture.

6. Turmeric Lavender Coffee Creamer

This creamer by Paleo Hacks is like nothing you’ve ever tried before!

The combination of turmeric and lavender is unexpectedly tasty, and the recipe gets the strength of the flavors just right.  Make sure you follow the recipe to keep the balance of spice and floral aromas.

Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory superstar and lavender is a gently soothing relaxant.  They make a great combination in this herbaceous creamer, which is held together perfectly by the rich, creamy texture of coconut cream.  

The recipe calls for sweetener in the form of honey or maple syrup, but you could try it without if you want to avoid sugar.

7. Chocolate Coffee Creamer

This creamer from One Dish Kitchen is a healthy twist on the classic flavor combination of cream, chocolate and vanilla.

The cream is coconut cream, of course! And then it’s a simple case of adding cocoa powder and vanilla extract.  To make sure it’s a healthy, whole-food creamer, use whole cocoa powder and genuine vanilla extract (or even some straight-up vanilla bean!).

You can even buy all of the ingredients organic if you want supreme quality chocolate coffee creamer.  

The recipe includes honey as a sweetener, but you could easily swap this out for a vegan alternative such as agave nectar.  Or you can leave the sweetener out altogether and enjoy the bittersweet flavor of coffee and real cocoa together.

8. Spiced Chocolate Coffee Creamer

This recipe from Bran Appetit uses dairy milk and/or dairy cream, but you could easily make it vegan by swapping these out for coconut milk/cream.

If you decide to try it as is, use fresh, natural dairy products, organic if possible.  For optimum health, stay away from ultra-heat-treated or processed dairy.  After all, that’s the whole point of going to the effort of making your own creamer!

Cocoa, cinnamon, black pepper and cayenne spice up this traditional creamer, creating a zesty flavor along with some great health benefits.  The spices in this creamer share similar health-giving properties, being gently stimulating and antioxidizing.

This is an excellent mix for a cold day, when you can really enjoy the warmth of the spices.

9. Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer

You don’t have to own a Nutramilk, the awesome super high-powered blender Culinary Ginger adores for putting together nut-based dishes, to make this delicious recipe.

You can make your own cashew milk with a regular blender.  Or you can take the easy route and buy pre-made cashew milk. Then you simply add cocoa powder, peppermint extract and some sweetener. The recipe suggests honey, but you can exchange it for a vegan sweetener or leave it out altogether.

Peppermint is the stand-out ingredient in this recipe, adding an extra flavor sensation to the cream and chocolate.  Peppermint is a cooling herb, great for settling digestion, so this is an excellent creamer to add to your coffee if you like to drink it after meals.

Take Home Message

National Coffee Day is the perfect time to drop the guilt that comes from your love of coffee. 

Knowing that coffee has proven health benefits can help!  But the commercial coffee creamers you likely turn to for flavoring your brew are not so good for your health; they usually contain health-damaging hydrogenated or trans- fats, heaps of sugar and artificial flavoring and coloring.

Enter our top 9 all natural, health-giving, homemade coffee creamers.  They’re made with fresh, whole-food ingredients that can be sourced organically.  And you can choose whether to use a sweetener or not.

Most of them are already vegan, and a couple of simple swaps can make the ones that aren’t suitable for a dairy-free diet in a flash.  And, of course, all the homemade coffee creamers on our list are delicious!

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